Erquellewen - Chapter 30 ~ A Quick Rescue

Jonathan | August 12, 2004

"We need to save her!" Legolas said, thinking hard to come up with a plan. "If Japool gets his hands on that Jewel-"

"I know, Legolas," Gandalf said. "But do you know how we are supposed to? The only way to do that is if we go all the way back around this mountain and use magic on the Vrall. But that is very risky, because they never let go of their prey unless their master orders them to. So if it falls down the mountain when we kill it, Erquellewen goes with it."

Legolas sighed, tears swelling in his eyes. He loved Erquellewen too much to let her be captured and killed.

As if reading Legolas' thoughts, Aragorn said something. "How about we sneak after Barren, and when he orders the Vrall to put Erquellewen down, we kill it?"

"I think it's good enough," Gandalf said. "That's all we can do to save her. Unless...."

**************************************************

Faxten waas running ahead of his master, holding Erquellewen tightly around the waist. It was tempted to swallow the young Elf, but if it did, it would be killed by it's master. It knew of the Sacred Amethyst the girl wore around her neck, and the value of the Jewel.

Sensing the beast's eagerness, Barren thought of removing the Jewel from the girl's neck. But if he did, Japool would think he was trying to take it for himself.

"Sorry, Faxten, but you'll have to wait," Barren said, turning his thought's into words. "If you eat her, you get punished, but if I took the Amethyst, I will be punished. Please, just wait."

The beast licked it's bloody teeth, waiting patiently for the time to come.

As it licked it's teeth, Erquellewen noticed a small green patch, lighter than the rest of it's scales, under it's wrist.

'Weak spots?' Erquellewen wondered. 'Maybe they can only be killed, or at least distracted, by weapons if it is hit there...?'

"Yes, weak spots," Barren said, noticing what Erquellewen was looking at. "But if your friends catch up with us, you will tell them nothing of it."

Erquellewen felt the gaze of the man, making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

"How do you know I have the Amethyst?" Erquellewen asked, trying to trick the man into thinking he had the wrong Elf.

"I read your mind," Barren said. "At the time, you were thinking, 'I hope he doesn't know I have the Amethyst.'"

Erquellewen then got an idea...

'No, I don't. My plan worked! Too bad, now he has the wrong girl...'

"Since you don't have the Jewel then..." Barren said coolly, "Faxten, go ahead..."

The beast let out a loud bark-like noise, and raised Erquellewen high above it's head. Squeezing her waist, it raised it's other claw and wrapped it around her neck, squeezing hard. Erquellewen closed her eyes tightly, preparing for death.

All of a sudden, an arrow shot out and hit the beast right on the weak spot, under its wrist. Faxten let go of the Elf's neck.

Erquellewen opened her eyes and saw Legolas aiming his arrow for the other wrist from behind a tree trunk. The monster ran in circles, daring the person that shot the arrow to come forward.

Still squeezing, the Vrall was ready for the fight. It lowered Erquellewen, covering its wrist. But Legolas had already shot the arrow, and it struck the beast hard in the spot.

Erquellewen fell to the ground, hitting her arm hard. Lief and Mithwethiel snuck out to try to get to her, but some sort of Magic was pulling Erquellewen towards Barren.

As Barren slowly walked forward, mumbling his cursed Magic words, the Vrall was suffering, arrows sticking out of it's wrists.

"Stay away from the girl, you foul people! She is prey of the Vrall," Barren hissed, finishing his Spell. He grabbed Erquellewen by the neck and turned back to the Vrall.

"FAXTEN! TAKE THE GIRL!" the man shouted, throwing Erquellewen to the monster.

The monster missed, still suffering the pain. Erquellewen hit the ground, making a loud thud. This time, Mithwethiel and Lief were successful and dragged the Elf into the bushes and away from the horrible man and his monster.

**************************************************

"Erquellewen," Aragorn said sadly, taking the unconcious girl in his arms. Red marks and cuts covered her neck, and her clothes were ripped at the waist. Her arm was broken, and her hair was messy. She was covered in dirt and blood.

As Legolas approached, tears filled his eyes once more. His love was in trouble and might not live. But he had confidence in the heartful Elf.

"Is she going to be okay?" he asked, choking back the tears.

"I'm afraid her arm is broken, but she'll be okay. She is poisoned too. The claws of Vrall's are Poison. I'm surprised she isn't already dead," Gandalf said sorrowfully. "But after all, she is a very stron girl. I think she'll make it. We have an antidote here in my sack. As soon as she is revived, we can give it to her."

"I'll take her then," Legolas offered. Aragorn handed the young Elf to him and started back towards the road. The man and his beast were long gone. They fled as soon as Erquellewen was taken.

As they walked down the road, Erquellewen's eyes fluttered. As she slowly opened them, she started asking questions, while trying to move her arm, which was now in a sling.

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